Sold my WRX PPP and buying a 2011 S3 sports hatch

[T14ARD]

I have just sold my WRX and now agreed to buy a S3 sports hatch.

I wanted to buy a WRX, but the piston issue worried me. So I drove lots of EVO's but the AYC pump and bad SST gearbox worried me, so here I am worried I am buying a "sensible" S3.

I do a lot of fast road/track driving and I noted on here that Understeer and breaks are the main elements to resolve.

What dim rear ARB do people go with?

What pads do people use? - I used Pagid before and they were great.

Planning the REVO stage One one One+ to get the old girl up to 311BHP.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Carefree69]

Pagid on mine, and even though it's a 2.0 tdi they stop me on a sixpence.

 

[S3_Mat]

I would do both ARB's so long as they have adjustment. H&R have the right sizing IMO where the back bar is thicker than the front. You can dial out more understeer by setting the rear bar to hard. I don't understand why some ARB kits have thicker front bar's relative to rear. This will stop roll but increase understeer at the limit.

Brakes wise it all depends how much money you want to spend. Stock discs do not dissipate heat very well at all - it's debatable if upgrading just the discs, pads and lines is worth the money as a few hundred more brings you into second hand TTRS caliper bracket and those combined with Mintex 1144/1155 or Pagid blues are the best value for money BBK you can get. For track use just add some AP floating discs.

 

[S3Alex]

Mat's already said most of what i was going to say.

From stock,the S3 is a bit on the heavy side,and has a strong bias towards understeer.
The brakes are OK provided they aren't pushed,and then they begin to fade pretty quickly.

I think in terms of sorting out an S3 to the standards of handling you probably had before,ARBs and good coilovers will go a long way,and whilst you're doing that,it's worth changing the bushes for something a bit harder and longer lasting.

Brakes....there are a few good kits around now,and the RS brakes are a good place to start,if you don't fancy the expense of a full AP kit,but putting a decent set of brakes on the front will upset the overall brake balance and may cause the rear to go light under heavy braking.
Forge now make a decent looking rear upgrade,which may be worth a look also.

I use Mintex 1155 pads all round,and with your preferences,you may find those good......reasonable from cold,but good progression as they heat up,and they won't melt themselves all over the discs like DS2500's do.

Stg1 will only make you want more...trust me.

 

[S3_Mat]

I can already feel the rear going light with just the TTRS brakes - Only really happens when the Pagid's up front are up to temp and bite hard. Been looking at rear brake options I'll check the forge option out. VWR do a semi floating rear disc as well.

 

[S3Alex]

I can already feel the rear going light with just the TTRS brakes - Only really happens when the Pagid's up front are up to temp and bite hard. Been looking at rear brake options I'll check the forge option out. VWR do a semi floating rear disc as well.

Just took a peek at the VWR rear disc...it is just that,disc only,and not a full caliper and disc option as Forge make.

 

[s3_trev]

Welcome to the s3 club buddy, uve got great taste in cars.

The s3 has so much potential and can be turned into a real weapon, without shoving it down your face like an evo etc.

Id recommend stage 2+ as a bar to achieve as far as power goes, and all of the above advice is good advice. There are now some great turbo options available and without too much trouble you can have a car putting out over 400bhp that can get 32mpg on a longer journey while also getting respect from the "sensible" crowd.

 

[S3Alex]

Welcome to the s3 club buddy, uve got great taste in cars.

The s3 has so much potential and can be turned into a real weapon, without shoving it down your face like an evo etc.

Id recommend stage 2+ as a bar to achieve as far as power goes, and all of the above advice is good advice. There are now some great turbo options available and without too much trouble you can have a car putting out over 400bhp that can get 32mpg on a longer journey while also getting respect from the "sensible" crowd.

I agree.

I've explored the reaches of good taste with a GpN Cosworth on the road,and now have something halfway user friendly.

Like you,I rate Stg2+ as the best value for money,that still retains both some economy,and is pretty brisk.
Unlike when I first got the big turbo bug,there are quite a few options now,some of which are both affordable,driveable,and fast,and plenty of other parts arriving regularly for the tuning scene.

 

[s3_trev]

There is something awfully tempting about the TTE420 hahaha

 

[T14ARD]

Cheers guy's,

Thanks for the advice, my aim is circa 325 - 350BHP any more is just a waste. I am more worried about corners and stopping than straight line stuff.

The ARB made a MASSIVE difference to the STI so that's a given.

What about putting ducting cold to te disc's that would help.

Why install TTS brake calipers ? Why are they better?

 

[S3Alex]

Cheers guy's,

Thanks for the advice, my aim is circa 325 - 350BHP any more is just a waste. I am more worried about corners and stopping than straight line stuff.

The ARB made a MASSIVE difference to the STI so that's a given.

What about putting ducting cold to te disc's that would help.

Why install TTS brake calipers ? Why are they better?

Coilovers are an essential part of this in my opinion as the ARBs only go some of the way to dialling out understeer.
If you take a look at mine,that's just about done the trick but was neither cheap nor easy,and I think that something like kW v3s would get you much of the way there.

I don't think you're going to get much more out of the stock brakes by ducting air to them......the stock system weighs a ton,and even compared to the VWR system I originally fitted,was massively inferior.
The real issue is that the S3 weighs 1500kgs,and is thus a pretty heavy car to stop,and I found even the uprated system had given up after a number of heavy braking efforts at a trackday from 120mph,but that was partly down to the DS2500 pads which had given up.

PS...how can you say that more than 350bhp is a waste.....the car is just getting going!

 

[Compkiler]

I agree with that last comment!
I think you should try a stage 2+ S3 out ;-)

 

[LiamS3]

You can get Stage 2+ for around £1500-£2000, it's really the best way to go before you need to start changing the Turbo etc.. I'd recommend the APR Map though especially if you're a track/fast-road driver as it is way more aggressive/torque'y

350hp in the S3 is nothing bud, the car can handle way more than that.. Welcome to ASN

 

[XFi]

As far as brakes go I was very impressed with stock discs and pads. Only after 15/20 minutes of hard driving round Blyton Park did they really let me down on the back straight with the kink in it! If you do track the car I can recommend TTRS calipers with Vagbremtechnic discs and caliper brackets.

 

[S3Alex]

I agree with that last comment!
I think you should try a stage 2+ S3 out ;-)

Try a Stage Syvecs.
Lol.

The car and engine can handle a lot of power.

 

[S3Alex]

As far as brakes go I was very impressed with stock discs and pads. Only after 15/20 minutes of hard driving round Blyton Park did they really let me down on the back straight with the kink in it! If you do track the car I can recommend TTRS calipers with Vagbremtechnic discs and caliper brackets.

I must be a bit rougher on the brakes!

The same sort of time at Brands finished off the DS2500s.....LOL.

 

[T14ARD]

Her she is.

600miles round trip to pick her up.

Two main issues, when in sports mode why does it change gear as it touches the red line not in the red line me?

What a stupid location for a hand brake!!!

Anti roll bar and anti lift kit are a must!

Gents what the difference between the S3 brakes and the TTS?

Can I not just change the discs and pads?

 

[s3_trev]

What colour is that!?

 

[Compkiler]

Looks lovely mate! Persevere with her as a few mods make her a beast!
Exhaust, cold air induction kit, high pressure fuel pump, possibly an rs4 fuel pressure regulator, and your laughing! Stage 2+ is where it's at mate! Once you've gone there, there even more options with a hybrid turbo (tte420) without even changing the internals! Plug and play!

 

[T14ARD]

Dark grey, ( not sure the propper name)

I think it makes the car really stand out.

 

[s3_trev]

Never saw that colour before.

 

[XFi]

I must be a bit rougher on the brakes!

The same sort of time at Brands finished off the DS2500s.....LOL.

I was very surprised and no warped disc! I'm not gentle on the brakes, Dave from Vagbremtechnic put temperature paint on my floating discs and all went white after a few sessions! (600 deg C). Oil cooler needed though as 130C is a bit too high...

OP no difference between TTS and S3 as far as I'm aware. Depending how far you want to go some good pads, fluid and braided brake lines will do you well for light track days/short sessions.

 

[S3_Mat]

TTS are 340mm. S3 are 345 mm. Calipers are the same i believe. TTRS Brakes are 4 pot 370mm. Stock TTRS discs are decent for fast road but will present a problem if tracked. The main issue is the fact that the cooling vanes are not directional on one side and the other is that they are not floating.

 

[S3Alex]

I was very surprised and no warped disc! I'm not gentle on the brakes, Dave from Vagbremtechnic put temperature paint on my floating discs and all went white after a few sessions! (600 deg C). Oil cooler needed though as 130C is a bit too high...

OP no difference between TTS and S3 as far as I'm aware. Depending how far you want to go some good pads, fluid and braided brake lines will do you well for light track days/short sessions.

Discs on mine didn't warp either,but the pads were shot,as DaveB had predicted.

No problems with oil or water cooling,but the bigger turbo(GTX3076 at the time) and lower EGTs etc may have helped.....plus I'm not track fast around the bendy bits!